Stories by Yvette McCullough

Political parties increasingly agree that new approaches in the justice system - on prevention, prisons, deterrence and drugs - is needed, but exactly how it should change is up for debate.

Greens co-leader James Shaw has told supporters the best way to ensure Jacinda Ardern continues as prime minister is to "party vote Green".

Jacinda Ardern returned to Whakatāne today for the first time since the aftermath of the Whakaari / White Island eruption which claimed 21 lives. Video

Aucklanders are waking up to life out of lockdown, but with different restrictions to the rest of New Zealand.

New Zealand First is the lone voice in Parliament calling for the Christchurch terrorist to see out his sentence in Australia.

Tenants now have another layer of security with the passing of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill.

Shane Jones is crowing over cracking the target of creating more than 10,000 jobs through the Provincial Growth Fund.

Attempts to force commercial landlords and tenants with rent disputes in the wake of Covid-19 into negotiation are being abandoned by Justice Minister Andrew Little.

An announcement on charging New Zealanders to stay in managed isolation hotels will be made "very, very shortly", says the prime minister.

The government has launched the first phase of its Progressive Home Ownership scheme, signing up providers in Auckland and Queenstown to support 100 families. Video

Infrastructure Minister and NZ First MP Shane Jones does not expect a decision will be made on moving Auckland port operations north before the election.

The Upper Harbour MP says she has had an incredible time in politics and is looking forward to her next career - in business. Video

New Zealand and Britain have formally launched free trade negotiations today. Watch a live media conference with the PM, the Trade Minister and the British High Commissioner here. Video

On a Saturday 100 days from now, New Zealanders will vote for the next government, legalising cannabis - or not - and for or against assisted dying.

Under alert level 1 the border is closed to all but NZ citizens and permanent residents and select others, but businesses say they need more certainty about when it will start to open.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is pushing back at accusations from the opposition that the government is "completely fractured and entirely divergent" in its response to Covid-19.

Police Minister Stuart Nash is describing the weekend's Black Lives Matter protests as "irresponsible", but any prosecutions appear unlikely.

September could be a "realistic" time frame for New Zealand's borders to open up to Australia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

A bill banning smoking in cars carrying children has passed its final reading with support from all parties.

The new National leader Todd Muller now has to turn his attention to the make-up of his caucus, after defeating Simon Bridges at yesterday's emergency meeting.

National MPs will gather at Parliament tomorrow to decide the fate of Simon Bridges as National Party leader.

National says Treasury's failure to appear at today's Epidemic Response Committee shows the government is arrogant and happy to dismiss scrutiny.

New Zealanders have a nervous wait today as the government makes the call this afternoon whether to move to level 2, or stay in level 3 lockdown a while longer.

The Epidemic Response Committee is to issue summonses to the Solicitor-General, the Director-General of Health, and the Police Commissioner seeking the legal advice for the lockdown.

The tourism industry is warning that if travel rules under alert level 2 aren't changed, thousands more jobs will be lost. Audio